This is my first cache of many and the start of a series based at Scout huts across the Isle of Wight. I hope you enjoy finding it as much as I did creating it.
A brief history of 1st Northwood Scout Group
Northwood like a lot of other groups on the Island has a long history, it was registered on the 10thApril 1926, its charity number being in the first three hundred for the whole country.
A local businessman named Leslie Phillips, who operated a Cowes Drapery and Outfitters business was the first Group Scout Leader. His family home was one of the largest houses in Northwood at the time, Woodside House (now flats). The group meetings were held in an outbuilding of Woodside House.
The group continued to use this outbuilding up to 1939 (the start of WW2). At the close of WW2 (1945) they restarted and in the first year they moved premises four times. First (Spring) to a garden shed in the grounds of a house in Wyatts Lane, then in the summer months moved to the Air Raid wardens hut at Northwood Garage. Then Two months later along the road to the WI Hall. Then in January 1946 thanks mainly due to the generosity of Leslie Phillips Brother-in-Law they moved to their present site in Wyatts Lane, which at the time was an ex-army hut.
Leslie Phillips died in 1954, he had been involved in the group right up to that time.
Many people know what they were doing when President Kennedy was assassinated on November 22nd, 1963 however people in Northwood remember this date for another reason, that was the day the wooden scout hut was burnt down. It is believed to have been caused by someone cooking in the hut.
The community of Northwood got together and arranged a massive programme to replace and rebuild the scout hut using more permanent materials. The funds were raised partly by the community and the local councils. The funds were mainly used to buy the materials and employ skilled workers, but the majority of the building work was carried out by adults involved within the group, at no cost, this includes the wooden gates. The hut is in an ideal position within its own grounds, ideal for camping and other activities by other groups, close to main bus routes and the ferry terminal.
There is a plague on the wall and trees in the ground were planted in memory of and honouring two scouts, Adrian Gentle and Geoff Leopard who were killed in a motoring accident on Rolls Hill.
You do not need to enter the scout grounds to solve or retrieve this cache.
Standing in front of this historic gate, you will see two carvings into the pillars on either side of the gate.
Looking at the carving on the left pillar.
What is the number of letters in each of the two words on the 6th line? AB
Looking at the gate.
How many petals make up the image tied together? C
How many stars are on this image? D
How many letters in the scout motto under the image? (two digits) E
Looking at the carving on the right pillar.
How many letters are in each part of founder’s name? FGH
Checker: All the numbers generated from A-H add up to 44
The cache is hidden at:
N 50 (H/D) (E-F) . (C+D-G) (H-B) (A-H)
W001 (E-A) (F+C-G) . (A-G) (H+D-B) (C+D+G)